Update: We have a winner! Mexicanne and The Meezers gave her a real run for the money, but I saw Cordovan in a whole new light in her entry... and laughed my butt off. Congratulations, my friend!
As for the rest of you who entered, keep an eye peeled towards this blog. CSN likes me, and I'll probably be doing another give-away in a few months.
Thanks for playing!
_____
Those crafty folks at CSN Stores want me to do something unobtrusive for my next give-away, but I'd already spilled the beans to you all before they made that particular request so...
Here's what I need you to do: Go noodle around in their stores, especially taking note of the lovely recessed lighting they have available. Pick one item (any item) and drop me a comment containing a link to that product and why you find it illuminating.
The most creative answer wins a $75 gift certificate good at any of CSN's online stores.
You've got until Friday at 5:00 p.m. to enter.
Good luck!
(And I'll be sneakier about how I do this the next time CSN Stores offers up one of these fantastic dealios!) _____
P.S. -- Winner of last contest Sandy says,
Easy, painless experience. Merchandise exactly as advertised, delivered to my home quickly. I actually comparison price shopped and their price was quite good. I'm quite happy with the crate - nice quality. Thanks again.
They are the real deal. There are one or two caveats. They apply the gift certificate as a coupon, so no other coupons are applicable. In addition, they will not price match if you are using the gift certificate. (For example, I'd been looking at the wicker and metal crate combo; their price was about 35% higher than competition, but they would EITHER price match OR allow use of certificate - not both.)
I wouldn't hesitate [to use them again].
There ya go! _____
P.P.S. -- I get zip, zero, zilch, nada for doing this. I just love being able to give stuff away!
"I've been a derelict blogger the last couple weeks, but you've been fooking nonexistent! What, did you go to Ireland again and get married?" -- My Norwegian Pal from the North Woods
Ummm... no and no (although the former would be nice) (and the latter is not high on my bucket list... although there's a certain smolderingly hot Italian bartender from one of my favorite Dublin pubs who would at least have me toying with the idea for a day or two if: a) I had enough Black Bush in my system and b) I'd completely taken leave of my senses).
Work has been crazy busy. That Was Then opened, and I've been helping out with front-of-the-house stuff like box office and concessions (including an odd experience with a strange little woman who looked like a character straight out of The Simpsons, but that's a story for another day). This required convoluted train scheduling and extra travel time. I've been up to my eyeballs in biographies -- looooooooooong biographies. I was sick one day. I didn't feel like it a few times. I got distracted a few more times.
Between Mad Mikey and Harper, however, I've been suitably chastised... and it's nice to have been missed.
Now back to my regularly scheduled blogging... _____
[S]cientists claim to have settled the score once and for all: Guinness tastes better in Ireland than anywhere else.
Experts from the Institute of Food Technologists carried out extensive taste surveys in 33 cities in 14 countries to find the best place for a pint of the black stuff.
And the majority of testers said they enjoyed a pint of plain in Ireland far more than in any other location.
The study, which claims to be the first to scientifically prove that the stout doesn't travel well, used 'non-expert' tasters, each from different countries, to conduct the test.
It took 103 in 71 different pubs where factors such as pub ambience, Guinness appearance, flavour, and aftertaste were all considered.
Using a Visual Analogue Scale which ranks enjoyment from 1-100, Guinness drinking in Ireland averaged a score of 74, compared to just 57 anywhere else.
There's another reason, not raised by this article:
The only place their Quality Team shows up to inspect taps, lines, refrigeration temperatures and the like, and where they'll yank the publican's license if they don't comply with their quality standards is Ireland.
(And I certainly would have volunteered to be a part of that tasting panel!) _____
His last book in this series had at least three "firm" publication dates on Amazon.com, and each one came and went whizzing by over the course of more than 18 months.
I call bullshit. He hasn't even turned in the final manuscript yet... because it's not DONE yet.
Oh, well. At least we now know what the cover will look like. _____
The good folks at CSN Stores apparently like me and my readers, as they've authorized me to do another give-away. I'm still figuring out just what kind of contest it'll be. In the meantime, start sharpening your wits if you want to win. Stay tuned!
Gidget has been a real joy. When I first got her she was a terrified pup. She has never walked on grass or on a leash...I don't believe she had been out of the cage she was in. She had had a number of litters, and was rescued with 17 other dogs. See attached picture, which I believe was taken shortly after her rescue (after they shaved her).
In March it will be four years that we've been together. Until last month, her progress was really REALLY slow. She always slept at the foot of the bed. Sometimes she spent all day in her crate, which is one of those wheelies which is 12X16. Last month something happened - and I'm not sure what it was. She started coming up to me on the bed, wanting to be petted before we went to sleep. We went to Merle & Tom's for XMas, and she followed Merle around! This month, she hasn't spent any time in her crate other than when I've put her there when I go out! Suddenly it is just too small for her!
Gidget does not have a mean bone in her body. She is an incredibly sweet (albeit stubborn!) dog who has brought me real joy. I'm excited about getting her a new "big girl" crate. Many thanks as I could not afford this on my own right now.
Hugs Sandy
Congratulations, my friends!
We have a winner!
I was touched by all your entries, especially those by Liz and Grau that required a lot of work and a great sense of humor... but the story of Gidget, who has come so far from that terrified little doggie rescued from a puppy mill touched my heart. Gidget's mom Sandy should check her email, as info in how to use the gift certificate will be there later this morning.
Thanks a million to everyone who played! (And thank you to the folks at CSN Stores who made this possible!)
UPDATE: Only TWO DAYS to go! Entries are closed. Check back tomorrow for the winner! (And a big "Thank-You!" to all who entered.)
Being that I am a generous sort, I'm going to offer that to gift certificate to one of my lucky readers. (They have a boot store, too, folks. You know I love my readers when I pass up getting a discount on reallyfreakingawesomeboots for you!)
Here's what you have to do to win: 1) Go noodle around those different sites, pick what you'd spend those free $75 smackeroos on; and, 2) drop me a comment telling me which shop and which item you'd choose, including the link to the product. Whoever has the most creative or impassioned response wins.
You have until Friday, January 14th to tell me all about it. Good luck!
(And, lest my more macho manly type readers think it's all about the girlie stuff, they have rifle and pistol cases available online, too!) _____
Freebie:
Ambulance Driver is offering up free copies of his book En Route to Kindle users. Apparently there's a glitch with the publishing house, so keep checking back with me or with him for the deets on when and for how long the free download will be available. I've read the book and can highly recommend it!
Update: AD says the download doohicky is fixed. Go here for details if you've got a Nook, iPad or Kindle. You've got until January 17th to take advantage of this generosity! _____
Know someone who got a Kindle for Christmas? Give -- or LEND -- them Mercury Falls!
A few weeks ago, I let you know that Amazon now allows you to give Kindle books as gifts. Now they've announced another cool feature: you can LOAN books on Kindle! For details on how to do this, go here.
First of all, I adored "Mercury Falls," and can't wait for the sequel. Second of all -- Yippee! Amazon's finally letting us lend our books on Kindle! _____
Dealio 2:
It's no secret that I love me some Goggles4U. They're offering some great deals for a very limited time:
$8.99 for a $4.99 frame with coated prescription lenses + $4.99 shipping and handling complete (use coupon "Glasses899"); or,
$50 off designer glasses (use coupon "Designer"); or,
30% off your entire order value (use coupon "Deal30).
In this day and age savings like this on eyeglasses is too good to pass up!
I couldn't have done it at all. That's beautiful... and awesome. I really admire people with talent like that. _____
Once again our brainiacs in Springfield seek solutions to our financial problems that will drive business from our state. Howzzat, you ask?
Some Illinois-based Web businesses were furious Thursday at a legislative plan that would require online retailers, such as Amazon.com and Overstock.com, to collect a 6.25 percent state tax if they have commissioned affiliates in the state.
That puts at risk huge revenue streams for such Illinois-based Web sites as FatWallet.com, CouponCabin.com and BradsDeals.com, which receive much of their commissions from sending customers to major online retailers. Their commissions are at risk because large retailers have shown in the past that they will sever business relationships with affiliates like those to avoid collecting state sales tax, called a use tax in Illinois, on products they sell.
The bill, passed Thursday afternoon, needs approval from Gov. Pat Quinn.
"I feel like I've been completely flipped the bird," said Tim Storm, chief executive of FatWallet, based in Rockton, near Rockford. "Essentially, 30 to 40 percent of our revenue gets shut off instantaneously."
FatWallet officials were busy Thursday scouting ways to leave Illinois, Storm said.
"The reality is that as a business owner with 52 employees, we're not going to just get shut down because of a law Illinois passes. Our customers don't care whether we're in the state of Illinois," he said.
Brad Wilson, founder of BradsDeals, in Chicago, said about half his revenue would be in jeopardy, along with 20 jobs at his company.
"We don't have much choice. If this is going to stick, we literally can't physically be in Illinois," Wilson said. "My wife is from Cleveland and would be thrilled if we moved back there. That's the kind of thing that's going through my head."
Good going there, Governor. We're going to lose business and see more people out of work because of this short-sighted bit of legislation. And, on top of that, people who are hurting and who can buy things more cheaply are once again given the shaft. _____
I don't know about you, but this is change I can believe in:
You know I am a fan of Nic Cage and Ron Perlman (whose very existence made the “Hellboy” movies possible). Here, like cows, they devour the scenery, regurgitate it to a second stomach found only in actors and chew it as cud. It is a noble effort, but I prefer them in their straight-through Human Centipede mode.
TMPAE has drunk the Kool-Aid. It's nice know I'll be able to send her a little something every once in a while that isn't ridiculously over-priced. _____
Disregarding typical nursing-home rules, Beatitudes allowed Ms. Nance, 96 and afflicted with Alzheimer’s, to sleep, be bathed and dine whenever she wanted, even at 2 a.m. She could eat anything, too, no matter how unhealthy, including unlimited chocolate.
And she was given a baby doll, a move that seemed so jarring that a supervisor initially objected until she saw how calm Ms. Nance became when she rocked, caressed and fed her “baby,” often agreeing to eat herself after the doll “ate” several spoonfuls.
Dementia patients at Beatitudes are allowed practically anything that brings comfort, even an alcoholic “nip at night,” said Tena Alonzo, director of research. “Whatever your vice is, we’re your folks,” she said.
Sign me up right now.
_____
The Chicago mayoral race has certainly taken a turn for the weird with Carol Mosely Braun being considered the "unity candidate" for the black community in Chicago. (I'd really like to know what dirt they had on the actual poll leading Danny Davis to get him to back off.) Given Braun's history of demonstrably bad judgment, and the fact that Jesse Jackson's filthy fingerprints are all over this turn of events, I'm confident she'll do or say something -- and probably a lot of things -- to get herself blown right out of the race.
I find it sad that the black community leadership consistently puts forward the same deeply-flawed candidates who have only their own personal interests at heart. Trust me when I say that Jesse didn't make this happen for the good of the black community. He knows he can't get elected himself, so he's flagrantly working to become the power behind the throne.
In a private room inside the upscale East Bank Club, a group of young Latino professionals that included staffers from several Chicago mayoral campaigns sat down recently to talk about a shared interest: power and how to get it.
Juan Rangel, co-chairman of Rahm Emanuel's mayoral bid and head of the influential United Neighborhood Organization, stood at the front of the room. Before him, he saw the next generation of Chicago's political leaders, corporate chieftains and cultural tastemakers.
As the city gears up to elect its first new mayor in 21 years, Rangel said Latinos are at a crossroads and, with his UNO colleagues, is preparing up-and-coming professionals for a place at the table, no matter who replaces Richard Daley.
"It's not about being altruistic; put that aside," Rangel, 45, told the 36 smartly dressed men and women who had gathered for a lesson in political hardball through UNO's Metropolitan Leadership Institute. "If you don't have power, you'll never get to first base."
Actually, the Illinois GOP should take a page or two right out of this playbook. _____
I can't see myself breaking the 200 book mark for 2010, but I'll come pretty close. Here's November's list:
November – 14/162
Sunday’s Child, Tom Lewis*
Hawke: A Novel, Ted Bell*
The Ghost Shrink, The Accidental Gigolo & the Poltergeist Accountant, Vivi Andrews[1]*
The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food and Love, Kristin Kimball[2]*
Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Truman Capote
We Bought a Zoo, Benjamin Mee
Hour of the Hunter, J.A. Jance*
One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding, Robert Gover*
The Reluctant Mage, Karen Miller*
Worth Dying For:A Reacher Novel, Lee Child*
Liar, Liar, K.J. Larsen*
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, Bill Bryson[3]*
Decision Points, George W. Bush*
A ChesapeakeShores Christmas, Sherryl Woods*
[1] Yes, it’s as silly as it sounds, but what’s wrong with a little laughter every now and then?
[2] I loved this book.There’s a relentless pacing that really gives you the sense of the whirlwind that hit Kristin Kimball and changed her life forever in this true story.
[3] Recommended to me by John Cox, it’s an absolute delight, especially for anyone born in the 1950’s.
_____
While I'm on the subject of books, if you're considering getting or giving a Kindle for Christmas, here's some things you should keep in mind:
I have the second generation Kindle (Holy crap! I'm sorry I missed this deal, as $89 for a Kindle I'd have bought one for every member of my family), but I bought my Sainted Sister-in-Law the new wi-fi version for her birthday, and I'm bowled over by how much smaller and lighter the darned thing is -- and it holds more books, to boot!
